Me no Sakusen
by ClosetCat
Summary: "The Project of Eyes." Uchiha sister story. Ayano Uchiha thought that she would live a normal kunoichi life, even while fatherless. But when she is forced to accept tragedy after tragedy, Ayano allows herself into the ninja world's darkness all the while searching for freedom from the Uchiha clan's destiny. And while she deceives her own heart, one thing is clear: family above all.


**Foreword: This genre is based on FAMILY relationships. I own the story but not Naruto.**

* * *

 _"Aya-chan, remember that you are a good girl."_

 _A warm hand reached over Ayano's head to pat her as she leaned on her mother's bosom. Ayano's very small physique trembled as she passed a sigh of contentment. Well, as much as a child of 2 years could get. Sleepy-eyed, she tilted her head upward towards her mother's face._

 _Mom's lips played a loving smile._

 _Ayano thought that a tear ran down Mom's cheek._

Ayano Uchiha's eyes opened, her dark, dark pupils darting back and forth across the perimeter of her room. It's been 3 whole years since that time, and still, Ayano didn't know why this particular memory stuck with her.

She called out for her mother and pushed herself from the covers. There was no answer.

 _She must've gone out early today_.

* * *

Glancing at the clock, the little girl realized that it was late afternoon. Normally the skies of Konohagakure were bright and sunny. However, today was different: it was stormy cloudy.

It had been several hours since Mom had gone out. Ayano knew whatever her mother was doing was taking too long. She got up and made her way to the front door. After slipping on her ninja sandals, she wandered around the streets of the Uchiha complex in search of someone who might help.

"Excuse me? Granny?" Ayano had to stand on her tip-toes to see over the counter of the grocery store.

"Oh my, Ayano-chan! How are you?" the grandma managing the stand smiled a toothless smile.

"I'm doing fine. Um, has my mom been past here today?" Ayano asked.

"No, honey, she hasn't."

"Oh, thanks anyways."

Ayano bounded away before the nosy grandma could meddle anymore. Ayano went around to each store and each house her mother might have gone and visited, but the little girl's efforts were in vain.

Her mother, Minami Uchiha, was nowhere to be seen.

Anxious and desperate, Ayano began asking random strangers and went as far as the outskirts of the Uchiha territory and into the Village. After all, it was possible that her mother had gone out on an early mission. Yet, Ayano had an uneasy feeling.

 _Mom would always tell me she that had a mission the next day..._

Finally, she approached two returning ninja who were from the Uchiha clan.

"Excuse me, have you seen my mother?" Ayano gazed up at the tall men. The black irises came in contact.

"Your mother? Who is she?" One of them, a messy dark-haired man with a cheerful disposition, crouched down to her level and smiled.

"Minami. Minami Uchiha," Ayano answered, fidgeting. In truth, she was nervous, for some odd reason, to be in the presence of these two ninja. Ayano was already a shy girl, so this encounter made her want to crawl deeper into her shell.

The man glanced up at the other, whose hair was just as dark but tied back in a ponytail.

"Have you heard of her, Itachi?" the first ninja questioned.

"She's the strongest Uchiha kunoichi," Itachi replied. He looked down at Ayano, causing her to shudder. They both noticed.

"Ah," Itachi's partner's voice was full of kindness. "We haven't introduced ourselves yet."

He stood back up, slinging an arm around Itachi.

"I'm Shisui Uchiha. And this guy here is Itachi Uchiha. Who are you?"

The little girl rubbed her sweaty palms together behind her back.

"My name is Ayano Uchiha."

"I thought so. I've seen you around the complex sometimes," Shisui commented.

"So have you seen my mom?" Ayano was beginning to feel stressed about the length of the conversation.

"Oh, uh, no we haven't. Sorry."

Ayano sighed exasperatedly, "Thanks anyways."

Turning to leave, she was stopped by Shisui. She was beginning to wish she had never asked the two of them. It's safe to say that Ayano was fairly annoyed, though she'd never admit it.

"Hold up," Shusui touched her shoulder. "We'll go help you find her."

* * *

No matter how much Ayano insisted against the offer, Shisui would retort back with something about helping any clan member with anything. Only Itachi remained silent, much to Ayano's relief.

The three of them searched both the likely and unlikely places to find Minami Uchiha, but their efforts were to no avail. They could've turned the whole village upside down and still wouldn't be able to find her.

The clouds were getting darker and stormier, signaling the incoming of a thunderstorm. Shisui glanced up at the fighting skies.

"There's only one more place to look. Let's make it quick," he comments.

Itachi grunted in agreement. Ayano's legs began moving on their own, making her realize that there would be no other place except the cliff. Ayano had always been told to never go near the cliff or the clearing around it or anywhere near its perimeter for that matter. After all, Mom had said that it scared her to think that Ayano could fall off accidentally. Finally, Ayano could quench her curiosity.

They reached the top of the cliff, the clearing. Shisui suggested that they each take a part of the area to inspect.

Itachi set out on his own near some brush that was secluded by a larger tree. His keen eyes caught sight of something under a rock. Overturning some granite and pebbles, his fingertips ghosted over a torn piece of paper.

His eyebrows knit together as he read the hastily scrawled letters.

 _Dear Stranger,_

 _Whoever you may be, I thank you for finding this. And, I also apologize.  
I'm sorry for my cowardice. I'm sorry for my selfishness. I'm sorry for my sorrow.  
There's nothing left after the Great Third War.  
If you come to find me, do not tell my only daughter about my whereabouts._

 _Please, if there's anything left, only tell my daughter this:_

 _Good-bye Aya-chan. Remember that you are a good girl. I love you, so much._

 _Stranger, take care. For if you are not strong enough, this sorrow will come to  
haunt you too._

 _-Minami Uchiha_

Itachi was utterly shocked. Minami Uchiha was most certainly dead, if not escaped forever. How could he tell this to the little girl? Shaking his head in disbelief, he got up after hearing Shisui's call.

"Itachi! You found anything?"

"No," he lied.

"Well, then let's head down the cliff. There's a pathway over there." Shisui pointed towards and opening of rocks.

On the way down, Itachi watched the small physique of Ayano. Though his expressionless face showed nothing, his heart was breaking at the thought of telling her her own mother's last words. His stomach knotted as they reached the foot of the cliff.

"Minami-san! You there?" Shisui yelled. Ayano shifted uncomfortably.

Suddenly, something caught Ayano's eye. She spotted some broken object lying not too far off behind a black jutting rock. She started walking closer, cautiously.

 _Is that...a person?_

Her walking gait broke into a run and soon a sprint. It couldn't be. Could it?

"Wait! Ayano!" Itachi burst out. Shisui glanced at his partner with a questionable stare, still unknowing of what Itachi found.

It was no use. The little girl was running at full speed with no intent of stopping. Seeing this, Itachi ran after her, leaving Shisui in a very confused state. By now, a downpour of rain was falling. Thunder could be heard in the distance.

As Ayano approached the large rock, she realized that it wasn't black. It was covered with dried blood. Her throat choked as she skidded to a halt at the base of the rock. Gulping, she slowly peered behind the rock.

Her eyes widened. Her frame shook.

It was a corpse.

Ayano's black irises burned.

She passed the wounded, bloody chest of the body and knelt down beside its face. She turned the pale head right side up, brushing away the long black familiar hair. A sob caught in Ayano's throat. Her whole body began to shake and she dropped the corpse's head onto the ground. She backed away.

There she was, Minami Uchiha.

Ayano's eyes burned a heavier fire now. Tears and rain streaked down her cheeks and chin. Her ebony hair was drenched and her clothes were soaked. Her breaths became irregular. She heard Itachi's footsteps splashing in the puddles.

Mom's dead face was as white as sheet, completely motionless. Ayano continued to shake uncontrollably.

"Ayano!" she heard Itachi call to her.

Soon, both ninjas caught up and stood behind the little girl. Shisui inspected the bloody rock and the woman's chest wound. Itachi's mind was still racing, struggling on how he could possibly tell Ayano about the letter.

"It looks like she fell straight onto the rock," Shisui observed.

He turned to Itachi. "Well, we found her."

Itachi, slightly surprised by Shisui's insensitivity, bit back a sharp retort.

"Why..." the little girl's whisper was barely audible.

"Ayano..." Itachi willed for her to wake up from this nightmare.

Ayano whirled around to face him. Her eyes were blood red. Three black tomoe spun wildly around her pupils. It was clear that she was struggling to control her emotions. Yet, Itachi knew. Ayano was on top of her breaking point. Tears were already falling down her cheeks.

"Your mother..." he started.

"Why!? Why!? Why!?" she screamed. Her fists were clenched. "She just left me like this! Without a word!"

"No!" Itachi stepped closer to her.

"I wasn't loved..." her voice lowered.

"No!"

"Mom...didn't love me at all..."

"No!"

Itachi had had enough. He rushed towards Ayano and crouched down. And did something he rarely did.

He hugged her.

"Stop! Stop pretending like you care," Ayano attempted to push him away. Itachi only tightened his hold on her. He understood her pain: seeing a death, being forever traumatized.

"Your mother said something before she left," Itachi muttered.

No sounds came from her.

Itachi backed away from the embrace, but kept his hands on her arms.

" 'Good-bye Aya-chan. Remember that you are a good girl...' "

Itachi saw her pupils shrink. Her irises were still colored red of the Sharingan.

" '...I love you, so much.' " Itachi felt a wave of relief rise from his chest, but it was soon replaced by a fear. Ayano's expression only changed from disbelief to anger. Unexpectedly, she wrung herself from Itachi's grasp.

"What are you talking about!?" she growled.

Itachi's temper rose. He dug the note out from his pocket and stuffed it into the girl's hands. She read it.

"What..." she gritted her teeth.

"Mom...she," Ayano's chakra flow was stimulated and flowed into her brand new ocular power. It was too much for her. She felt her body weight move forward, knees buckling.

The last thing Ayano saw was Itachi moving forward to catch her falling body.


End file.
